Greenland Ice May Melt Quicker Than We Thought: Two studies published in Nature Wednesday show seemingly contradictory visions for Greenland’s past and the future of its ice sheet, but actually describe different aspects of the ice. One study finds that Greenland’s ice sheet may have melted almost completely and repeatedly during the last 1.4 million years, suggesting the ice is more sensitive to warming than currently thought. The second concluded that the ice on the very easternmost coast has been stable over a 7.5 million year period. Scientists working on both studies say that their results could be compatible: both demonstrate the volatility of the ice sheet, both show that more research is needed, and that while the majority of the island’s ice has melted multiple times, the high altitude east coast has remained icy. Determining the ice sheet’s response to warming is crucial, because its melting could raise global sea levels by up to 24 feet. (Time, Gizmodo, AFP, Christian Science Monitor, US News & World Report, Scientific American, InsideClimate News, Phys.org)

Kasich Cold on Renewables Freeze? The Ohio House passed a bill Tuesday that would extend the state’s freeze on renewable energy standards until 2020, sending the bill to the Senate for a possible vote today. Along with over 60 Ohio businesses, Governor Kasich, who signed the original freeze in 2014, has pushed back on the current bill, worrying that the legislature would create “a headline that Ohio went backward on the environment.” In September, Kasich said he would veto legislation that did away with renewables standards, and some speculate he may veto an extension of this freeze as well. (AP, E&E $, Midwest Energy News, Cincinnati Inquirer, Toledo Blade)

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Since its founding in 2011, Climate Nexus has drawn upon established and emerging science to personalize and localize the climate and energy story through work with the media, relevant NGOs and other thought leaders.